Pumps & Pipes
A society of curious people from the medical,
energy, and aerospace industries.
Pumps & Pipes Annual Event
Join us as Pumps & Pipes celebrates its 20th Annual Event, bringing together innovators, leaders, researchers, educators, and students from medicine, energy, and aerospace to explore how breakthroughs emerge in the world’s most demanding environments. Houston’s unique concentration of expertise across these industries provides the ideal setting for meaningful collaboration and the exchange of ideas that can improve lives, advance technology, and inspire the next generation.
This year’s theme, “Surviving the Extremes: Strategies, Stories, and Opportunities,” highlights the resilience, innovation, and leadership required to succeed under extraordinary conditions. The event features Mike Gabler, winner of Survivor Season 43, as keynote speaker, sharing powerful lessons on adaptability, teamwork, decision-making, and perseverance.
Mon, Dec 7, 8am - 5pm CST
Letter from Merrilee Conway
Executive Director, Pumps & Pipes
Dear Pumps & Pipes Community,
What an exciting time it is for Pumps & Pipes! As we look toward the remainder of 2026, I am proud of the momentum our organization is building across medicine, energy, aerospace, and our growing student community.
We recently brought our Executive Board together for a highly productive strategic planning meeting. The ideas, energy, and commitment around the table reinforced what makes Pumps & Pipes unique: our ability to bring people and industries together to share ideas, solve problems, and discover opportunities that might not happen within traditional boundaries.
Our commitment to developing the next generation of innovators is also stronger than ever. We have expanded the Pumps & Pipes High School Clubs, giving more students opportunities to explore careers, meet professionals, experience technology firsthand, and understand how skills and solutions can move from one industry to another. We are especially excited about the growing interest from students and schools throughout the Houston area.
And now, our attention is focused on our 20th Annual Pumps & Pipes Event — “Surviving the Extremes: Strategies, Stories, and Opportunities,” on December 7 at Helix Park.
This milestone event promises to be our most ambitious and exciting Annual Event yet. We are creating a collaborative platform where leaders from established industries, startups, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators can come together to share challenges, solutions, experiences, and ideas.
The event will also feature an inspiring student experience, with 100 high school students receiving free admission and participating in programming designed to expose them to exciting technologies, career opportunities, and the people shaping the future of Houston’s innovation economy.
We are equally pleased to announce the second year of our Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, providing graduate students an opportunity to showcase their research, connect with industry and academic leaders, and demonstrate how their work may have applications well beyond its original field.
As we celebrate 20 years of Pumps & Pipes, we are reminded that our greatest strength has always been our people and the connections we create. The challenges facing medicine, energy, and aerospace are increasingly complex—but so are the opportunities when we bring the right people together.
We are incredibly excited about December 7 and are working to make this the best Pumps & Pipes Annual Event ever.
I hope you will join us at Helix Park, bring your ideas, share your expertise, introduce us to someone we should know, and help us continue building the connections that make Pumps & Pipes so special.
Surviving the Extremes. Sharing Solutions. Creating Opportunities.
I look forward to seeing you on December 7!
Warm regards,
Merrilee Conway
Executive Director
Pumps & Pipes
Innovative Events
STEAM
The Pumps & Pipes STEAM program supports after-school clubs at high schools across the Houston area, connecting students with real-world opportunities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Through hands-on experiences and direct industry engagement, we help students explore what it means to pursue a technical or innovative career. Our support includes guest speakers, interactive workshops, site visits, student-led projects, and competitions – all designed to inspire the next generation of problem solvers and innovators.